Oil-closure for shaft-bearings



H. VANDERBEEK. OIL CLOSURE FOR SHAFT BEARINGS.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3, 1920.

1,370,86 1 Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

UNITED STATES A PATENT "o1-incr..

HERBERT vANDERBEElK, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB TO TlHE TIMKEN'- DETROIT AXLE COMPANY, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

To all w/Lomt may concern:

Be it known that I, vHERBERT VANDER- Uil-Closures for Shaft-Bearings, of which the following' is a specific-ation.

My invention relates to. shaft bearings and has for its object to provide a simple, economical and eiiicient device for preventing the escape of lubricantendwise of the shaft. The invention consists principally in a novel clamping device for securing an oil closure in position over the end of such hearings. The invention further consists in the parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

ln the drawings, which form part of this specification and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts wherever they occur,

Figure 1 is a sectional view of an axle bearing provided with an oil closure embodying my invention.;

Fig. 2 is a. sectional view on the line 2-2 ot Fig. l; and

` Fig. 3 is an elevation of the ringl which .holds the closure ring.

ln the drawings, my invention` is illustratcd as appiied to an automobile axle bearing or the conical roller type. The shaft 1 is rotatably mounted in a housing 2 and projects therefrom. Said housing is adapted to contain lubricant Afor the bearing. @n the outer end portion of the shaft 1 is mounted an inner bearing member or cone 8 for .conical rollers Ll. The outer bearing member or cup 5 for said rollers is arranged in a tubular sleeve 6 in the housing. Freferably thehousing is interiorly threaded to receive said sleeve so that the bearing may be adjusted. The bore of said-sleeve 6 is provided with anannular rib 7. The inner side of lsaid rib 7 constitutes a shoulder against which the outer end of the bearing cup 5 abuts, and the other side of said rib constitutes a shoulder against which lthe outer peripheral portion of aiexible closure ring 8 preferably of cork composition orl other oil resisting material-is held.

The shaft 1 is provided with a collar 9 which rotates therewith. The inner end of said collar 9 abuts against the outer end of the bearing cone 3, and the outer end of said OIL-CLOSURE FOR SHAFT-BEARINGS. l

Specicaton of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 8, 1921,v y Application ledSeptember 3, 1920. Serial No. 407,827. l

collar is curled outwardly' or formed into an annularly corrugated flange 10 which constitutes an abutment for the inner portion of the .elosure rin 8 to bear against flatwise. In order to ma re a better sealbetween the closure ring8 and the rounded d 10 "of said collar 9, said end 10 is preferibly .positioned outwardly (longitudinally of the shaft) beyond the plane of said closure ring, whereby said ring is distended and dished outwardly over said rounded end.l Thus the annular space between the outer shoulder of the annular rib 7 and the flange 10 of the collar 9 is closed by said ring'S; and 'in order more. thoroughly to prevent leakage, this closure ring .8 is pressed against said rounded flange 10 of the collar 9 by a multiplicity of springs 11 operating throughout the inner periphery of said closure ring. Preferably these spring members 11 are 'intcgral with a metal ring 12 an'd are formed .by providing, said ring with a pluralit of slots 13 extending radially outwardly om its inner periphery.

The metal ring 12 is, disposed i'ncontact' with the closurel ring 18. Theadjusting sleeve 6 is interiorly threaded to receive a clamping nut 14 which forces said rings together and forces the closure-ring 8 againstvtoward said shoulderby the clamping nut,

with the result that the inner periphery of the closure ring andthe end portions of the spring fingers are bulged outwardly and placed under tension. Obviously, it would be possible tochange this construction so as to provide the spring action in other ways, as by disposing the collar and the annular rib in the same, or substantially the same, planeand dishing the metal ring 12 to place the fingers under tension.

The spring fingers 11 press the vclosure ring'a-gainst Athe outerV face of the flange 10 of the col-lar 9. The fingers 11 act individually and thus vhold the closure ring against the iange at a multiplicity, of polnts, takly to the inner periphery of the ing care of inequalities in the thickness of the closure ring and of said flan e. While the shaft and collar rotate, the c osure ring is able to yield at any oint to accommodate any projecting portlon of the iiange of the collar due to any irregularity in its construction, without permitting leaka e of oil.

My device is applicable to shaft arings generally, It prevents waste of oil and thus provides better lubrication for the bearings. The closure ring can be easilyl and qiuckly replaced whenever necessary.

It is obvious that numerous changes .may be made without departing from the invention and I do not wish to be limited -to the precise construction shown.

What I claim is:

1. Means for preventing the escape of lubricant endwise of a shaft, comprising a housing, a shaft therein and projecting therefrom, a ring ofvilexible material whose periphery is tightly secured to said housing,

. an annular member on said shaft disposed y housing and having a mu in contact with the inner portion of said iexible ring, and a ring secured to said tiplicity of spring fingers adapted and arranged to press the inner portion of said flexible ring against said annular member. l

2. In an axle construction comprising a housing and a shaft section rotatably mounted therein and projecting therefrom, an oil sealing device comprising a flexible closure ring and a ring alongside thereof provided 4with amultiplicit of inwardly extending spring fingers an means for securing the outer margins of said rin s to said housing,

said housing, a conical roller said shaft having a mem er thereon which radially overlaps the inner margins of said rings and said spring fingers to force said inner portion against said member to seal the same.

3. A housing having an annular rib in the bore thereof, a shaft-rotatabl mounted in bearing interposed between said shaft and said housing and comprising a bearing cup abutting against the inner face of said annular rib, and an oil sealing device comprising a iiexlble closure ring adapted to be held tightly against the outer face of said annular rib, a member on said shaft Aadapted to radially overlap the inner margin of said closure ring and dished outwardly by said member, and a ring having a plurality of spring iingers adapted and arranged to press said inner margin of said closure ring against said member on said shaft.

4. The combination of an axle housing, having an annular rib therein, a shaft rotatably mounted therein, and projecting therefrom, a conical roller bearing located between said shaft and housing and comprising an outer bearing member which abuts against the inner face of said rib, a collar mounted on said shaft with its outer end beyond the outer face of said rib, a closure ring disposed against the outer face of said annular rib and the outer end of said collar, and a ring alongside of said closure ring provided with a multiplicity of spring iingers, whereby the outer periphery of said closure ring is held tightly against said annular rib and the inner periphery of said closure ring is pressed against said collar 'at a multiplicity of points.

5. An' axle housing, a shaft rotatably mounted therein and projectingtherefrom, an annular vrib in said housing, a collar on said shaft whose outer face is beyond the outer face of said annular rib, a closure ring of flexible material bearing against said annular rib and said collar, and a ring alongside of said closure ring, said ring being provided witha multiplicity of spring fingers, in position to bear said closure ring against the end of said collar.

6. An axle housing, a shaft rotatably mounted therein and projecting therefrom, a conical roller bearing interposed between said shaft and housing, an annular` rib iny closure ring is held against said annular rib by said ring and the inner periphery thereof is held against said collar by said spring fin ers.

'bigned at Detroit, Michigan, this 31st day of August., 1920., i

HERBERT VANDERBEEK 

